Effingham County Sheriff's Office reports Oct. 11 edition

POSTED:October 11, 2017 10:19 a.m.

Sept. 25Terroristic Threats/Family Violence; Simple BatteryA man stated that after letting his younger daughter and her husband stay with him, they have threatened to kill him and physically pushed him, and now he wants them out. He also said that his oldest daughter lives with him and they have scared her to the point that she will not leave her room. They also want to have the man locked up in a mental institution so they can have the house to themselves. He noted that they have both been in prison and know how the system works. The oldest daughter could not be contacted. The reporting officer was Timothy Ivey.Burglary-First Degree (Felony)A woman advised that her back door was damaged in a way that made it look like someone was trying to break in. The door frame was slightly damaged and the chain lock was broken. There was no one in the general vicinity. The reporting officer was Tonya Hodges.Harassing CommunicationsA man advised that he had received a phone call from an unknown number. The caller said the he was going to come to his house and burn it down. The man stated that he did not know the caller and had no enemies. The caller could not be traced. The reporting officer was Kristopher Withem. ThreatsA woman stated that she was parked in the roadway in front of her residence when a man pulled up behind her and started blowing his horn. He got out of his vehicle and started yelling profanity at her. He then said that he was going to come back after getting his gun before driving off. The man denied making any threats and said that it was the woman and her husband who threatened him. Both parties were told to avoid contact with each other. The reporting officer was Deandre Loucks.Arson-First Degree; Arson-Third Degree; Battery-Family Violence (First Offense) MisdemeanorA woman stated that her boyfriend got into a drunken argument with her the previous night about her ex-boyfriend. He grabbed at her and took her phone away. He also took her purse and burned two cat carriers in the front yard. He then proceeded to lock her out of the house leading her to go around to the window. They argued through the window for some time before he punched her in the face causing her to bleed. She then drove to a friend’s house to seek assistance. Later, she discovered a partially burned towel in the trunk of her car that had been soaked in gasoline. The boyfriend admitted to the arson but denied that the altercation ever got physical. He was later placed under arrest. The reporting officer was Loren Richard Scholes.Sep. 26Theft by Deception- FelonyA man stated that a woman scratched over $1,000 worth of lottery tickets and refused to pay for them. Since she was a regular customer at the store, he trusted that she would pay off her balance at a certain time but she failed to do so. He provided a written statement from the woman saying that she would pay back the money within a certain timeframe. The woman and her vehicle could not be located. The reporting officer was Dawn DeVoss.Driving While License Suspended or Revoked (Misdemeanor); Window, Windshield, or Wiper ViolationA woman was pulled over due to a large crack in her windshield. A background check revealed that her license had been suspended due to two counts of failure to appear. She was arrested, and her car was turned over to her brother. The reporting officer was Max Barber.Sept. 27Domestic DisputeA woman requested that officers come to her house to settle a domestic dispute with her boyfriend, but she later canceled the request. The officers showed up anyway and she said that it was a small fight over money. She added that he took her phone, but he later gave it back. The boyfriend was very mad with the situation and left the scene. The reporting officer was Bobby McCloud.Burglary-Second Degree (Felony)

A man stated that his truck had been broken into, and his work phone had been stolen. There was damage to the truck’s door and window. Shoe prints were discovered on a nearby concreate pad. A neighbor said that he and his wife’s vehicles were also broken into. The windows and doors were damaged, and two firearms were missing. There were also foot prints near these vehicles. The reporting officer was David Cribbs.Sept. 28Domestic DisputeA woman advised that her ex-husband had become angry while he was staying at her house to spend time with their kids. As they were preparing for bed, he stole her phone and began searching through its contents. She became angry and told him to leave, and the two got into a massive verbal argument. He left the scene and could not be located. The reporting officer was James Ashley Denney.Sept. 29Wanted Person-Warrant ServiceA woman was seen driving down the road with no license plate. She was stopped, and she stated that she just bought the vehicle and was on her way to get it registered. A background check revealed she was wanted for a traffic violation, and she was swiftly arrested. The reporting officer was Malcom Foy.

Disorderly Conduct; Public Drunkenness; Obstructing or Hindering Law Enforcement OfficersA man was found unconscious and barely breathing at a local restaurant. When he was revived, he appeared to be under the influence of drugs, and he smelled of alcoholic beverages. He also had a large suitcase with him. He would not provide officers with any kind of information and instead randomly talked about various topics. He did inform officers that he was on his way to a trailer park to rent a room. He then proceeded to order a cup of coffee and argue with police. After several minutes, officers decided to arrest him, but the man refused their attempts to put handcuffs on him. When they threatened him with a taser, he surrendered but continued to be disorderly to officers. The reporting officer was Loren Richard Scholes.

Wanted Person-Warrant ServiceA woman was spotted crying on the side of the road. When asked if she needed assistance, she said that she was fine and just needed a ride to her destination. A background check revealed that she was wanted for probation violations, and she was quickly arrested. The reporting officer was Deandre Loucks.

Theft by Taking- Misdemeanor ($500 or Less)A woman stated that her grandson’s phone had been stolen several months prior. Over time, she began to suspect that his friend took the phone and sold it to an electronics company. She contacted the company, and they informed her that they did in fact have the phone. The requested that the police fill out a form before the phone be returned. The reporting officer was Tonya Hodges.

Possession and Use of Drug Related Objects; Possession of a Schedule One or Two Controlled Substance; Possession of Marijuana Less than One OunceA man was seen driving down the road with no license plate. When pulled over, he stated that he was borrowing the vehicle from a friend since his own car had no insurance. Marijuana could be smelled inside of the vehicle and a search was conducted. A hot smoking device was found along with several small bags of marijuana. There was also a money clip which contained over $250 in cash. The man was arrested, and his vehicle was towed at his request. The reporting officer was Bobby McCloud.Sept. 30No Tag; Removing or Affixing License Plate; Wanted Person-Warrant ServiceA man was spotted driving a car that had an expired tag. He stated that he was unsure about the registration, as he just bought the vehicle. It was soon discovered that the provided information came back under a different tag number. The passenger in the car also came back as wanted for probation violation. The passenger was arrested, and the car was picked up by a wrecker service due to its improper registration. The reporting officer was Deandre Loucks.Simple Battery-Family Violence; Simple Assault- Family Violence; DUI- Driving Under the Influence of AlcoholA man stated that his brother barged into his and his father’s house to settle a dispute about rent payment. The two started yelling at each other, and the argument eventually worked its way to the front porch. As things got more heated, a second brother slapped the man across the face and took a swing at the father. The second brother denied this and said that he only tried to break up the first brother and the man. Due to conflicting stories, no one at the scene was arrested. Meanwhile, officers caught up with the first brother who had fled the scene. He made an improper U-turn before pulling over, and he smelled of alcoholic beverages. He denied the domestic dispute but admitted to drinking. He failed a field sobriety test and was placed under arrest. The reporting officers were Dawn DeVoss and William West.Aggravated Assault; Battery; Criminal Damage to Property-Second Degree; Cruelty to Children-Deprivation of Necessary Sustenance; Cruelty to Children-Allow Child to WitnessA man stated that his daughter’s estranged husband had assaulted her leading her to call her father. When the man got to her house, he saw the husband riding in a car, and he flagged down the driver to ask the husband for the parts to a dismembered phone that he took apart following the assault. As the man got out of his vehicle to better communicate with the husband, his arm was grabbed by the husband, and the vehicle he was in began to speed away, forcing him to the ground. It was noted that the man had marks on his elbows and knees. A nearby witness advised that the husband had also gotten out of the car and taken a part off a well. The daughter involved in the original attack said that she was going to pick him up from his job, so he could spend time with their infant. He saw a message on her phone and became so enraged that he pulled the battery out and forced her to pull over. He also damaged her car, broke her necklace, and scratched at her chest. When they got to her house, he stole a borrowed video game console, a wireless router, and a part to her well which cut off running water from the house. The husband was later located and arrested. The driver of the vehicle that the husband was in provided his own statements and revealed that his mother had the console and the router. The items were retrieved, and the driver was arrested. At the jail, the husband provided a similar account of the story. The reporting officer was Loren Richard Scholes.Driving While License Withdrawn

A man was spotted driving around an area known for drug activity while covering his face. He stated that he did not realize that he was concealing his face and was only looking for a place for he and his family to rent. A background check revealed that his license had been suspended for failure to pay child support. He was arrested, and a verified driver was contacted to collect the vehicle. The reporting officer was Malcom Foy.Simple Battery- Family Violence; Simple Assault- Family Violence; DUI- Driving Under the Influence of AlcoholA man stated that his brother barged into his and his father’s house to settle a dispute about rent payment. The two started yelling at each other, and the argument eventually worked its way to the front porch. As things got more heated, a second brother slapped the man across the face and took a swing at the father. The second brother denied this and said that he only tried to break up the first brother and the man. Due to conflicting stories, no one at the scene was arrested. Meanwhile, officers caught up with the first brother who had fled the scene. He made an improper U-turn before pulling over, and he smelled of alcoholic beverages. He denied the domestic dispute but admitted to drinking. He failed a field sobriety test and was placed under arrest. The reporting officers were Dawn DeVoss and William West. Oct. 1Possession of Methamphetamine; Possession and Use of Drug Related Objects; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeOfficers responded to a wanted man who had been who had been spotted at a house. When they arrived, a vehicle pulled into the driveway only to quickly pull back onto the road. The car was stopped a short distance away. The suspect was not inside of the car, but there was a strong smell of marijuana coming from the occupants. The driver and two passengers were removed, and the car was searched. A small amount of marijuana was located inside of the car, and two bags of meth were later found back at the residence. All three occupants were arrested. Jail staff later found large amounts of money on one of the passengers. The reporting officer was William West.

Suspicious Vehicle; Giving False Name, Address, or Birthdate to Law Enforcement; False Statements or WritingsA man stated that a suspicious vehicle had been parked in his yard for an extended period of time. As officers arrived at the scene, the vehicle in question started to quickly leave. It was stopped, and three occupants were identified. A female occupant stated that they had parked in the yard because she did not want them to park at her girlfriend’s mother’s house. A male occupant gave his name to officers, but his information would not come back. After several minutes of back and forth between the male occupant and officers, he eventually gave his real name and was arrested for providing false information. The reporting officer was Jason Bragg.

Battery-Family Violence (First Offence) MisdemeanorA man stated that his wife had pointed a gun at him during an argument. It was noted that the wife had a bruise around her right eye. She stated that the two had previously gotten into an argument over their kids after he had been drinking. After he went to bed, she attempted to move his shotgun out from under his bed, but he woke up and hit her in the face. She did not point the gun at him. The man related a similar story and said that he only hit his wife because she was reaching for the gun. He was later arrested. The reporting officer was Justin Hynko.Driving While License Suspended or Revoked (Misdemeanor)A suspicious vehicle was seen sitting at the back of a ball park with the lights off and the doors open. A woman stated that she and her husband had come to the ball park to talk out some family issues. A background check revealed that both parties had suspended licenses, and the husband had been released from jail earlier that day for that very reason. The woman then admitted to having a suspended license, and she was arrested. The husband’s stepfather was contacted, and he went to collect the car. The reporting officer was Justin Hynko.Criminal Trespass- Property Damage

A woman advised that two tires on her vehicle had been slashed. She noted that her husband used to be a school principal and that his former students might be seeking revenge. She estimated the damage to be around $400. The reporting officer was Deandre Loucks.Hit and RunFailure to Report Accident with Injury or Damage; Driving While License WithdrawnA man stated that a woman backed into his truck at a local gas station. She opened her door and looked back at the truck after she hit it, but she fled the scene soon afterward.. The man proceeded to follow her back to her house and call law enforcement. The woman later admitted to not having a valid driver’s license, and she was arrested. The reporting officer was Loren Richard Scholes.Disorderly ConductA woman stated that she got into a verbal altercation with her neighbor after the neighbor yelled at her daughter. As she was confronting the neighbor, the tip of her nose was grazed by the neighbor’s flailing hands. The neighbor admitted to the argument but denied touching the woman. The reporting officer was Max Barber.Aggravated Stalking

A woman stated that she discovered several large logs laid across her driveway as she and her daughter were leaving to go to church. They avoided the logs, but when they returned, they found hundreds of push pins scattered across the driveway. She believes that it was her brother and that he is trying to scare her. The reporting officer was Tonya Hodges.